Seventy percent of investors surveyed as part of Trust & Will’s 2025 Annual Estate Planning Report said they want their financial advisor to incorporate estate planning into their services. In fact, 40 percent of investors are so adamantly interested in estate planning that they will switch to an advisor that offers this service, according to the Trust & Will 2025 Financial Advisor Report. The investors have spoken and they want their whole financial life, including their estate plan, to be a priority for their advisor.
“This increased importance in estate planning may be happening more because investors are aging and either deciding on their future homes, including senior or assisted living facilities, or know loved ones who have reached this apex in their life,” explained Alan Gorlick, chief executive officer of Gorlick Financial Strategies. Everything from determining future living accommodations and how that will be paid for to what potential inheritance is left for their loved ones are estate planning issues, Gorlick said.
From Retirement Planning to Legacy Conversations
For Bob Chitrathorn, CPFA, vice president of wealth planning at Simplified Wealth Management, a recent client interaction reminded him of the importance of constantly asking clients about their estate planning. The couple he was working with, in their mid 50s, initially intended to discuss retirement planning but after the conversation evolved to include their parents, adult children and how assets would transition smoothly both from a financial and emotional standpoint, it became clear to Chitrathorn that this needed to be an estate planning discussion.
“Historically, clients expected estate planning to be handled by attorneys in a silo,” Chitrathorn said. “Today, even if they don’t expect their financial advisor to bring it up, guide the process, and make it part of the overall strategy—it probably won’t get done. That’s why I now offer access to a portal for wills, discounted living trusts, and to help clients understand the why behind it all—things like multi-generational wealth transfer, protecting heirs from probate delays, or minimizing stress during already emotional times. Clients want simplicity, proactivity, and coordination—and estate planning is no longer optional in meeting those expectations. It’s integrated into how I serve them now.”
Even If Clients Don’t Ask for It, They’ll Thank You Later
For Vinee Mehta, founder of Truly Unbiased, his clients aren’t necessarily knocking down his door to get their estate planning accomplished, but he feels the importance of leading his investors to secure this resolution and peace in their lives. “As advisors, we want to evolve our practices to meet client expectations but sometimes, we as the advisor have to be the one who creates the client expectation to make sure each and every one of our clients needs are addressed. For a majority of my clients, they do not expect estate planning to be included but are thankful and grateful that I push them to get things done.”
Estate Planning as a Differentiator
“At Blend Wealth, estate planning is no longer a ‘nice to have’,” noted Tim Woodward, CFP, the firm’s president. “It’s an essential part of the comprehensive financial planning experience we deliver. One recent shift that reflects this growing expectation is the way we’ve embedded estate planning directly into our core offer. It's part of what we call our irresistible offer to prospects. When they sign on with us, they not only get ongoing financial planning but also access to a full set of estate planning documents through our partnership with Trust & Will, which is all included in our planning fee.”
Most of Woodward’s new clients don’t have an estate plan or it’s quite stale, a la before marriages, divorces, children, etc. His investors have been appreciative that they can have this service as part of their financial planning package.
“By making estate planning simple and accessible, we help clients act on something they’ve been putting off for years,” Woodward said. “It’s one of the ways we’re differentiating ourselves and delivering real, tangible value in a space where many financial advisors still treat estate planning as a referral or a side conversation.”
Final Word
Advisors who ignore estate planning risk more than just missed planning opportunities—they risk losing relevance. As Chitrathorn puts it:
“If I don’t bring up estate planning, I’m failing my clients—and myself.”
Interested in partnering with Trust & Will to enhance your own clients’ estate planning needs? Learn more about how you can join over 17,000 financial advisors and firms who are delivering peace of mind to their clients by offering a comprehensive estate planning solution. Schedule a free demo today.
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